Franchise opportunities compared

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc vs Five Guys

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    $214,000 – $1,915,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Five Guys

    $52,100 – $927,850

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    $30,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Five Guys

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Royalty · Item 6

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    $2.00

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Five Guys

    8%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc and Five Guys disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    $214,000 – $1,915,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Five Guys

    $52,100 – $927,850
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    $30,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Five Guys

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    $2.00
    Nontraditional net sales royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Five Guys

    8%
    s. If the Restaurant is located in Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico, the Royalty Fee is — 8%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    $15,000
    New restaurant initial advertising deposit
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    Five Guys

    $250
    , depending on your advertising needs When billed Prohibited Product or Service Fine — 250
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    288
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 84

    Five Guys

    1,583
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    −9
    Calculated: 297 at end of 2023 → 288 at end of 2025

    Five Guys

    +62
    Calculated: 1,521 at end of 2023 → 1,583 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Five Guys

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    1999
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Five Guys

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Five Guys

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Two new company-owned Checkers
    50 percent
    other New company Checkers
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 76
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Checkers Table A ALL CHECKERS RESTAURANTS
    115 restaurants
    other Checkers Table A ALL CHECKERS RESTAURANTS Company- owned
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Checkers Table A ALL CHECKERS RESTAURANTS
    $1,136,589
    other Checkers Table A ALL CHECKERS RESTAURANTS Franchised
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    +23 more groups in the full report
    Five Guys

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc vs Five Guys: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc or Five Guys?
    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc: $214,000 – $1,915,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Five Guys: $52,100 – $927,850 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Five Guys. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc and Five Guys royalties compare?
    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc: $2.00 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20); Five Guys: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc or Five Guys?
    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc: 288 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 84); Five Guys: 1,583 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc and Five Guys disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc has reviewed Item 19 figures for 26 location groups; Five Guys makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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